60th Yokozuna Futahaguro passes away

[Rainoyama 1,157]

It was reported today that former Yokozuna (60th) Futahaguro passed away from a Chronic kidney disease ( 慢性腎不全) on February 10th. He was 55 years old.

Futahaguro is known as the first Yokozuna to never win a Yusho.  Born in 1963 (Mie prefecture), Yokozuna Futahaguro Koiji (real name Kitao Koji) entered sumo in 1979 as a member of Tatsunami beya. He was promoted to Ozeki  before Hatsu 1986 and became the 60th Yokuzuna before the Aki basho of the same year following two  consecutive Jun Yusho (12-3 and 14-1 D - playoff loss to the great Chiyonofuji). His tenure as a Yokozuna only lasted for 8 tournaments though as he was forced to leave sumo in 1987 because of a big argument with his master Tatsunami oyakata (former Sekiwake Anenyama). In 1990 he became a professional wrestler and fought under his real name, Kitao Koji. He retired from pro wrestling in 1998.

In 2003 he returned to Tatsumi beya as an outside advisor, which was made possible because his former master had retired. "I want to help to revive of the prestigious Tatsunami stable"  he declared at the time with enthusiasm.

Note: Tatsunami beya's sole sekitori at the moment is Meisei, but I believe he should be followed soon by the young Hoshoryu (nephew of the Daiyokozuna Asashoryu). The future looks bright for the stable Futahaguro wanted to revive.

https://www.nikkansports.com/m/battle/sumo/news/201902120000630_m.html?mode=all

https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASM2D6CYQM2DUTQP04G.html

https://www.fnn.jp/posts/00415230CX

 

Edited March 30, 2019 by Rainoyama

[Nantonoyama 246]

That is really sad, 55 is quite young, and he had not had a long career, being kicked out ozumo at age 24.

Kitao will be remembered as the yusho-less yokozuna... although he rushed the ranks all the way to the higher rank

[Rainoyama 1,157]

1 hour ago, Nantonoyama said:

That is really sad, 55 is quite young, and he had not had a long career, being kicked out ozumo at age 24.

Kitao will be remembered as the yusho-less yokozuna... although he rushed the ranks all the way to the higher rank

Very sad indeed. 55 is very young. The articles don't mention if he had any kind of sickness that may have been the cause of his death or if he was still advising the heya. I'll be updating the main post with the information I can find.

[Nantonoyama 246]

The wikipedia encyclopedia (both english and japanese) dates the death from February 10th, with a japanese reference. That is quite a long notice time.

[Rainoyama 1,157]

1 minute ago, Nantonoyama said:

The wikipedia encyclopedia (both english and japanese) dates the death from February 10th, with a japanese reference. That is quite a long notice time.

I noticed the same thing. It surprised me as the articles I found first only mentioned that it was learnt today. I just found another one giving that February 10th date, chronic kidney disease apparently.

[Kintamayama 44,345]

1 hour ago, Rainoyama said:

I noticed the same thing. It surprised me as the articles I found first only mentioned that it was learnt today. I just found another one giving that February 10th date, chronic kidney disease apparently.

I heard this last month, but dismissed it as rumor as it was not reported anywhere.

[Rainoyama 1,157]

10 minutes ago, Kintamayama said:

I heard this last month, but dismissed it as rumor as it was not reported anywhere.

Maybe the media reacted the same way and only made it public when it was 100% sure which explains the long delay.

[Eikokurai 3,433]

He’ll no doubt be remembered as an underwhelming Yokozuna at best, and an immature bully at worst, but it should be kept in mind that he didn’t become a Yokozuna by accident. He was a talented rikishi with a very respectable joi, sanyaku and ozeki record in a pretty competitive era, and while he may not have won a yusho, he wasn’t the totally hopeless failure he’s generally regarded to be. He averaged 10.25 wins a tournament prior to his promotion with no true makekoshi (one 6-6-3) and he finished runner-up in exactly one-third of all makuuchi tournaments he was on the banzuke for. Most rikishi would envy that record.

He could have had class. He could have been a contender. He could have been somebody instead of a bum ... but it wasn’t to be.

Edited March 29, 2019 by Eikokurai

[Fukurou 534]

4 hours ago, Rainoyama said:

His tenure as a Yokozuna only lasted for 8 tournaments though as he was forced to leave sumo in 1987 because of a big argument with his master Tatsunami oyakata (former Sekiwake Anenyama). 

Big argument (reportedly over his treatment of the lower rankers) kind of understates things when the result was the okamisan being struck and the boss turning in the rikishi's retirement papers. The elders accepted them without hearing, and out he went. 

Maybe he would have grown into it, but in his 8 basho he missed parts of 2 and had 10 or fewer wins 3 other times. Nothing exceptional to that point in time IMO.

[Rainoyama 1,157]

12 minutes ago, Fukurou said:

Big argument (reportedly over his treatment of the lower rankers) kind of understates things when the result was the okamisan being struck and the boss turning in the rikishi's retirement papers. The elders accepted them without hearing, and out he went. 

Maybe he would have grown into it, but in his 8 basho he missed parts of 2 and had 10 or fewer wins 3 other times. Nothing exceptional to that point in time IMO.

Thank you for providing more details, I read many different conflicting things regarding the feud and since I wasn't even born when it happened I didn't know which ones to trust. Therefore I just translated what was said in the first article I saw which was very vague (トラブル) The asahi article I found next did mention the okamisan being hit but somehow I missed it completely.

[Kintamayama 44,345]

He died in a hospital of chronic renal failure, six years of illness.　The funeral was held only with his wife and daughter attending, as per his request.

Edited March 29, 2019 by Kintamayama

[Jabbamaru 166]

"You need people like me. You need people like me so you can point your fuckin’ fingers and say, “That’s the bad guy.” So… what that make you? Good? You’re not good. You just know how to hide, how to lie. Me, I don’t have that problem. Me, I always tell the truth. Even when I lie. So say good night to the bad guy!"

Requiescant in pace, bad guy.

 

 

 

 

 

Ps* Im quoting the movie but i think its sucks, like all Brian de Palma's movies.

[ryafuji 807]

1 hour ago, Rainoyama said:

Thank you for providing more details, I read many different conflicting things regarding the feud and since I wasn't even born when it happened I didn't know which ones to trust. Therefore I just translated what was said in the first article I saw which was very vague (トラブル) The asahi article I found next did mention the okamisan being hit but somehow I missed it completely.

Reports at the time (Tatsunami Oyakata's version, essentially) said he lost his temper and began kicking the 92-year-old head of his koenkai. When the okamisan tried to intervene, he pushed her through a sliding door, injuring her hand. He then went into hiding and his oyakata handed in his retirement papers in his absence.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1988-01-11-8803210309-story.html

[neonbelly 226]

I remember seeing him in PRIDE FC long before I knew anything about sumo, and the commentators briefly mentioned he had made himself persona non grata in the sumo world.

[Saburo 18]

Sad news. I got back into sumo around the time Kitao/Futahaguro was promoted to yokozuna. His forced retirement at the end of 1987 was such a shock.

[Swami 245]

Shocking at such a young age.

 

Swami

[Marcus33 10]

Is it known if he was diabetic? That would explain the CKD. Does anyone know why he wasn't able to get a kidney transplant?

[since_94 650]

On 30/03/2019 at 00:47, ryafuji said:

Reports at the time (Tatsunami Oyakata's version, essentially) said he lost his temper and began kicking the 92-year-old head of his koenkai. When the okamisan tried to intervene, he pushed her through a sliding door, injuring her hand. He then went into hiding and his oyakata handed in his retirement papers in his absence.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1988-01-11-8803210309-story.html

Very informative article. Thanks for the link.

 

[robnplunder 974]

On 29/03/2019 at 09:47, ryafuji said:

Reports at the time (Tatsunami Oyakata's version, essentially) said he lost his temper and began kicking the 92-year-old head of his koenkai. When the okamisan tried to intervene, he pushed her through a sliding door, injuring her hand. He then went into hiding and his oyakata handed in his retirement papers in his absence.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1988-01-11-8803210309-story.html

Wow.  Even if the article exaggerated a bit (common practice by media), that's one sick dude.   I suspect he has a  serious personality disorder (narcissistic or psychopath would be my 1st guess).    Thanks for the link.

[Akinomaki 39,755]

Bakuho!TheFriday today was about the fight of ex-Futahaguro with his bad health that led to his untimely death. https://www.tbs.co.jp/tv/20190628_25F6.html

youtube query=爆報！ＴＨＥ+フライデー+2019年06月28日

The danger to have both feet amputated (advanced diabetes damage), a suicide attempt - his widow told the media about it for the first time http://www.daily.co.jp/general/2019/06/28/0012468970.shtml

Edited June 29, 2019 by Akinomaki

[Adil 232]

On 28/06/2019 at 17:41, Akinomaki said:

Bakuho!TheFriday today was about the fight of ex-Futahaguro with his bad health that led to his untimely death. https://www.tbs.co.jp/tv/20190628_25F6.html

youtube query=爆報！ＴＨＥ+フライデー+2019年06月28日

The danger to have both feet amputated (advanced diabetes damage), a suicide attempt - his widow told the media about it for the first time http://www.daily.co.jp/general/2019/06/28/0012468970.shtml

It was really sad reading about his end in the last link. 

About the video: The links to the video appear to be dead. Is it still available somewhere?

[Akinomaki 39,755]

2 hours ago, Adil said:

It was really sad reading about his end in the last link. 

About the video: The links to the video appear to be dead. Is it still available somewhere?

Bilibili has it https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1hx411973N

Edit: after the opening, the full part starts at 29:47m

Edited May 21, 2020 by Akinomaki

[Chanko Thief 67]

26 minutes ago, Akinomaki said:

Bilibili has it https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1hx411973N

That was heartbreaking seeing him like that. Truly sad. May he RIP.